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Drake basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Bulldogs

By Harry Schroeder

Drake head basketball coach Darian DeVries talks with sophomore Roman Penn in the first half against Northern Iowa at the Knapp Center in Des Moines on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020.20200229 Drakevsuni
Drake head basketball coach Darian DeVries talks with sophomore Roman Penn in the first half against Northern Iowa at the Knapp Center in Des Moines on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020.20200229 Drakevsuni /
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Brad Brownell and the Clemson Tigers are the highest-rated team guaranteed to be on Drake’s non-conference schedule. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Brad Brownell and the Clemson Tigers are the highest-rated team guaranteed to be on Drake’s non-conference schedule. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Scheduled to impress

There are ample opportunities for Drake to impress the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee and to drive up their N.E.T. Clemson, Saint Louis and Richmond were all top 100 teams in last year’s KenPom.com rankings.

Drake opens the season hosting South Dakota and Richmond. The Spiders accumulated a 65 KenPom ranking and played in last year’s N.I.T. Then the Bulldogs tangle with future Valley member Belmont in the ESPN Events Invitational.

After the game with the Bruins (110 KenPom) Drake will oppose either Iona or Alabama.
Rick Pitino’s Iona team was part of last year’s NCAA Tournament and Alabama reached the Sweet Sixteen.

Among the possible other opponents playing in Kissimmee, Florida are Kansas, North Texas, Miami, and Dayton. This is a massive opportunity to build Drake’s post-season resume.

Five of Drake’s final seven non-conference games are eminently winnable, but two neutral site games will be a challenge and be N.E.T. building chances. Clemson (45 in N.E.T.) meets Drake in the ‘Holiday Hoopsgiving’ event in Atlanta and the Bulldogs play Saint Louis (52) in Las Vegas.

Coach DeVries has put together a schedule that gives his veteran team another chance at an at-large bid to March Madness. At least five post-season participants are on the schedule and several more could be added to the Florida event.

DeVries coached 20 years in Omaha, Nebraska and one of Drake’s road games is at University of Nebraska Omaha. The Mavericks bottomed out at 5-20 last year after winning 37 games over the previous two seasons.